Uganda is on a roll!

Uganda will soften its proposed anti-gay legislation, but the government denied on Wednesday that it was bowing to an outcry in the West over a controversial bill that could have seen homosexuals put to death.

Ethics and Integrity Minister Nsaba Buturo told Reuters that the revised law would now probably limit the maximum penalty for offenders to life in prison rather than execution.

“There have been a lot of discussions in government … regarding the proposed law, but we now think a life sentence could be better because it gives room for offenders to be rehabilitated,” he said in an interview. “Killing them might not be helpful.”

Well, you know. They’re not quite ready for Will & Grace reruns. In my book, life in prison should be reserved for really horrible crimes, and say what you want about homosexuality and homosexual sex (between adults), a crime it shouldn’t be. Anywhere. But it’s a (tiny, very tiny) step forward.

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